overwhelmed.”
Why did he have to see her like this, all needy and helpless and chaotic? She’d always coped on her own. “You shouldn’t feel obliged.”
“I don’t.” He ferried the plates to the kitchen and came back holding an empty laundry basket. “But I’m better at cleaning up than you are.”
Reluctant to agree with him, she picked up a handful of plastic farm animals. “You don’t own enough stuff to clean up.”
“You don’t have a system. That’s why it overwhelms you.” He tossed the laundry basket on the floor in front of her. “What were you going to do with those toys you’re holding?”
“These? I was going to put them in Chloe’s room where they belong.”
“No. Dump them in there.” He pointed at the laundry basket. “Put all the stuff that belongs in Chloe’s room in there, and then take that to her room. That way you’re not running back and forth like a headless chicken.”
“Hey, that actually makes sense.” She tossed the toys into the basket. Maybe it wasn’t so bad admitting she needed help, and it was good of Luke to offer assistance. “Thanks,” she said, smiling sheepishly.
“See? I’m not just a pretty face.” He flashed her a grin that melted away the last traces of her glumness.
“You’re not pretty,” she couldn’t help teasing him.
“I’m not!” He pulled a face of mock outrage. “Then what am I?”
Hot, that’s what Luke was, especially in his exercise gear that showed off his muscled legs and hunky shoulders. Hotter than a jalapeño pepper. The words quivered on the tip of her tongue, but she managed to swallow them back. “You’re, uh, nice.”
His smile lingered. “Well, that’s a relief.”
Needing breathing space, Tyler piled more toys into the basket, and a moment later Luke began gathering some scattered crayons.
“How was last night?” he asked after a while. “Did you have fun?”
Not as much as I would have had with you . She lifted her shoulders. “It was good.”
So what if Luke had turned her invitation down? Probably he thought she was too lowbrow for him. She didn’t read his kind of books. Didn’t know what intelligentsia meant. Huh. To her, it sounded like a cologne for wankers.
“Ask me again next time,” Luke said.
The Lego bricks she’d been holding clattered to the floor. “Really?” She couldn’t stop her lips edging up. “You’ll go dancing with me?”
His jet-black eyes crinkled up at the corners. “Be warned. You might regret inviting me once you see my moves on the dance floor.”
Oh, she wanted to see all his moves, both on and off the dance floor. She sucked in air, forced herself not to beam at him. Play it cool, girl. Don’t let Luke see you go all gaga over him . “And you might regret saying yes once you see my moves.”
“Okay, then. We’ve both been warned.” He turned back to the crayons.
When the basket was full, Tyler carried it to her daughter’s bedroom.
“Where’s Grammy?” Chloe asked from her bed where she was playing with the expensive doll Gretchen had given her.
“She had to go home.”
“And the ponies?”
“Another time.” Never, if she had her way. But the disappointment on her child’s face made her hesitate. Gretchen was still Chloe’s grandmother, and Chloe didn’t have many relatives. Maybe Tyler was being as selfish as Gretchen in refusing her more access to her granddaughter. But then the memory of Gretchen’s obsession to take Chloe away returned with caustic clarity. She wouldn’t let that happen. She’d never abandon her child.
She bent over to hug Chloe, squeezing her tight until the girl protested.
Tyler glanced up from the counter as Ally wandered into Java & Joolz with a loopy smile wreathing her face.
“So.” Tyler gave her friend a saucy grin. “Had a nice nooner upstairs?”
Ally turned beet red. “Is it that obvious?”
“I saw you and Nate sneaking up to his office a while ago, and now you come in looking like the
Why did he have to see her like this, all needy and helpless and chaotic? She’d always coped on her own. “You shouldn’t feel obliged.”
“I don’t.” He ferried the plates to the kitchen and came back holding an empty laundry basket. “But I’m better at cleaning up than you are.”
Reluctant to agree with him, she picked up a handful of plastic farm animals. “You don’t own enough stuff to clean up.”
“You don’t have a system. That’s why it overwhelms you.” He tossed the laundry basket on the floor in front of her. “What were you going to do with those toys you’re holding?”
“These? I was going to put them in Chloe’s room where they belong.”
“No. Dump them in there.” He pointed at the laundry basket. “Put all the stuff that belongs in Chloe’s room in there, and then take that to her room. That way you’re not running back and forth like a headless chicken.”
“Hey, that actually makes sense.” She tossed the toys into the basket. Maybe it wasn’t so bad admitting she needed help, and it was good of Luke to offer assistance. “Thanks,” she said, smiling sheepishly.
“See? I’m not just a pretty face.” He flashed her a grin that melted away the last traces of her glumness.
“You’re not pretty,” she couldn’t help teasing him.
“I’m not!” He pulled a face of mock outrage. “Then what am I?”
Hot, that’s what Luke was, especially in his exercise gear that showed off his muscled legs and hunky shoulders. Hotter than a jalapeño pepper. The words quivered on the tip of her tongue, but she managed to swallow them back. “You’re, uh, nice.”
His smile lingered. “Well, that’s a relief.”
Needing breathing space, Tyler piled more toys into the basket, and a moment later Luke began gathering some scattered crayons.
“How was last night?” he asked after a while. “Did you have fun?”
Not as much as I would have had with you . She lifted her shoulders. “It was good.”
So what if Luke had turned her invitation down? Probably he thought she was too lowbrow for him. She didn’t read his kind of books. Didn’t know what intelligentsia meant. Huh. To her, it sounded like a cologne for wankers.
“Ask me again next time,” Luke said.
The Lego bricks she’d been holding clattered to the floor. “Really?” She couldn’t stop her lips edging up. “You’ll go dancing with me?”
His jet-black eyes crinkled up at the corners. “Be warned. You might regret inviting me once you see my moves on the dance floor.”
Oh, she wanted to see all his moves, both on and off the dance floor. She sucked in air, forced herself not to beam at him. Play it cool, girl. Don’t let Luke see you go all gaga over him . “And you might regret saying yes once you see my moves.”
“Okay, then. We’ve both been warned.” He turned back to the crayons.
When the basket was full, Tyler carried it to her daughter’s bedroom.
“Where’s Grammy?” Chloe asked from her bed where she was playing with the expensive doll Gretchen had given her.
“She had to go home.”
“And the ponies?”
“Another time.” Never, if she had her way. But the disappointment on her child’s face made her hesitate. Gretchen was still Chloe’s grandmother, and Chloe didn’t have many relatives. Maybe Tyler was being as selfish as Gretchen in refusing her more access to her granddaughter. But then the memory of Gretchen’s obsession to take Chloe away returned with caustic clarity. She wouldn’t let that happen. She’d never abandon her child.
She bent over to hug Chloe, squeezing her tight until the girl protested.
Tyler glanced up from the counter as Ally wandered into Java & Joolz with a loopy smile wreathing her face.
“So.” Tyler gave her friend a saucy grin. “Had a nice nooner upstairs?”
Ally turned beet red. “Is it that obvious?”
“I saw you and Nate sneaking up to his office a while ago, and now you come in looking like the
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